Dedication Pays Off: Academy of Sound Alumnus, Elliot's Journey to The Final Forte

Overture Hall inside the Overture Center, Location of the Final Forte

It's with great pride that we can celebrate an alumnus and longtime Academy of Sound student, Elliot Lesperance, as he is in the Final Forte performing on March 6th. The Final Forte is the grand finals of a statewide competition called the Bolz Young Artist Competition as Elliot competes against three other young musicians. During this performance, they each play in the overture center's Madison Symphony Orchestra as a soloist for a panel of judges. This is an incredible opportunity to see him preform alongside a professional orchestra. Elliot will be performing "Abe's Prism Rhapsody" on marimba in this competition. The winner of the Final Forte will be awarded a $2,000 scholarship, and will perform in the Spring's Young Person concert on the following day, March 7th.

Elliot Lesperance's Bolz Competition Photo

There are three stages to the Bolz Young Artist Competition. First, the Preliminary Round, was where a large group of roughly 50 students from all over Wisconsin compete. They were then whittled down to eight students. Finally, the Semi Finals took those eight students down to the Final Four-te, which Elliot will compete in on March 6. This shows how fierce the competition is and how impressive it is for Elliot to have made it this far. We are proud of his hard work and dedication to music.

Save the date! We want to send lots of support for Elliot's performance. The Final Forte is a free admission show, and can also be watched on PBS or heard on Wisconsin Public Radio. The performance is on March 6, 2024 at 7 PM, and if you're going in person, be aware that the Overture will close the doors at 6:45.

Elliot Preforming in Academy of Sound's 2023 Spring Recital

Elliot started piano lessons with us at Academy of Sound in 2012. He studied with piano teacher, Ms. Nancy Cox, and was a very hard worker. Ms. Nancy recalls how motivated Elliot was to learn, how he put in the time and effort which showed that hard work pays off. We are very proud of his journey through music, and his passion for the arts is clear. When asked to recall Elliot's time at Academy of Sound, our founder, Ms. Erin said, "Elliot was a dedicated student who worked hard, and his performances were something the audience always looked forward to. We're very proud of all his musical accomplishments!"

The upcoming Final Forte Event, will mark the final round in this competition. If you're interested in watching this free performance, please follow website linked here. Or, show up and support him in person!